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A Short Guide to MLA Format (Eighth Edition)

The College of Saint Rose Writing Center

Modern Language Association (MLA) Basics

Academic Integrity 1 MLA Format 1 Sample Format 2

Using Sources in the Paper Guidelines for Citing Sources 2 In-Text Citations 2-6 Quoting 3-6 Short and Long Quotes 3, 4 Quoting Poetry and Drama 4, 5 Summarizing 5, 6 Paraphrasing 6 In-Text Citations, Special Cases Authors with the Same Last Name 6 Multiple Authors 6 More than One work by the Same Author 6 No author Listed 6 Multiple Works in the Same Citation 6 Citing a Source Multiple Times in the Same Citation 6

Indirect Source 6 Works Cited Guidelines

Works Cited Format and Sample Page 7 Chart for Creating Works Cited Entries 8 Example-Book 9 Example-Article from a library database 9 Special cases

Sources with More than One Author 10 Sources with the Same Last Name 10 Two or More Works by the Same Author 10 No Author Listed 10

Additional Resources 10 Blank Chart to Copy and Use 11

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This handout is based on the Modern Language Association handbook: MLA Handbook, Eighth

Edition. It is not meant to serve as a substitute for the handbook but as an overview of the most

common formatting guidelines.

MLA format is a system that specifies the way academic papers should be set up and how

sources within the paper should be cited. This format is used most frequently in the fields of

English and other Humanities. It is always recommended, however, that students ask their

professors which format they would prefer that their students use.

The purpose of MLA format is to give appropriate credit to originators of work, enable readers to

find original sources, provide a model for writing conventions, and preserve academic integrity.

The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook was developed to streamline the citation process and

make citing new types of documents easier. The Modern Language Association realized that

since there are many different ways to correctly cite the same source, citations should be

formatted in a way that is most useful to both the writer and the reader.

Academic Integrity

If appropriate credit is not given, plagiarism is a concern. The College of Saint Rose Catalog of

Undergraduate Studies defines plagiarism as: including but not limited to “Purchasing, copying,

down-loading, printing, or paraphrasing another’s book, article, paper, speech, exam, portfolio,

creative work, argument, or any other work and presenting it as one’s own, either in whole or in

part” or “Incorporating portions of another’s work without proper acknowledgement and

documentation” (strose.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-integrity/plagiarism-

policy/). Plagiarizing can result in failure of the assignment, failure of the course, and/or

expulsion from the college. Professionally, plagiarism could result in being fired and/or sued.

General MLA Format:

Typed, double-spaced

Standard-sized paper (8.5 x 11), 1 inch margins on all sides

Times New Roman 12 pt. font is recommended

Header in the upper right-hand corner: last name and the page number

A title page is not required, though a heading is: your name, the professor’s name, the

course number, and the due date in the upper left-hand corner (see example)

The title of the paper follows on the next line, centered. This should be capitalized, but

have no other emphasis (no bold, italics, quotation marks, larger font, etc.)

The body of the paper follows the title on the next line

Capitalize major words in the titles of sources: verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns

Titles of long works (books, journals, plays, movies, CDs, paintings, etc.) are italicized

Titles of short works (articles, essays, poems, short stories, songs, etc.) are placed in

“quotation marks.”

Research papers consist of a works cited page at the end of the document to properly

document the research presented in the paper

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Cite sources whenever you:

quote from a text (use the exact wording of the original text)

paraphrase from a text (put a section of text into your own words)

summarize a text (present a condensed version of a text)

use facts, statistics, or data from a text

refer to an idea or source in passing

use a photograph, painting, chart, table, graph, or other visual from a source.

A safe guideline to use is: ANY time you use ANY idea, from ANYONE or ANYWHERE else,

it is necessary to document it.

In-Text Citations-a brief mention of each source found in the body of the paper

Form 1- Author’s name and page number in parentheses after the idea:

One of the great stories of our generation begins, “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet

Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much” (Rowling 1).

Form 2- Author’s name in the sentence and the page number in parentheses after the idea:

J. K. Rowling’s famous first book begins, “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive,

were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much” (1).

Notice: No comma between the author’s name and page number, no “p.” or “page” before the

page number.

The first time that you mention an author, use the author’s full name. After that, use her/his last

name only. For special cases, see page 6.

Doe 1 Jane Doe

Professor Smith

ENG 101

15 March 2006

Tragedy in Shakespeare’s Comedies

Much can be said of the humor in Shakespeare’s

comedies, but what of the dark undertones? It is necessary to

view the Bard’s work with an ever-doubting eye, as he often

intends the opposite of what is on the surface. Could it be that

his comedies really only display a mechanism for dealing

with hardship in life? Is it possible that there really is no such

thing as isolated comedy for Shakespeare—that it exists only in

the presence of tragedy, difficulties, and other problems?

When reading his plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and

Your Name

Professor’s

Name

Course

Name and

Number

Due Date

Header:

Your last

name and

page

number

Paper Title

(Centered)

1” margins

Double-

spaced

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Quoting Quoting involves presenting the exact wording of a text, signified by the use of quotation marks

to bracket the used material. The author’s last name must be provided for most sources, along

with page numbers (websites being a notable exception). A quote cannot stand on its own but

must be introduced by and followed up with your own words.

Introduce-the author and/or quote

Cite-the quote

Explain-how the quote relates and/or supports your main idea

Short Quotes

Four or fewer typed lines

Begin and end with “quotation marks”

Author’s last name and page number in the in-text citation

Introduced, cited, and explained

Punctuation:

o A period is placed after the citation

o A comma is placed before the first quotation marks, following words like the author

states, writes, argues, asserts, etc.

o A semicolon, question mark, or exclamation point is placed within the quotation marks

when it is part of the quote or after the quotation marks when it is not part of the quoted

material

o An ellipsis (…) is used to indicate where you omit words within a quote

o Brackets [ ] are placed around words that you have added to the quote or altered, for

readability

o Quoted words within a quote are marked by ‘single quotation marks.’

Example of a short quote:

In Song of Solomon, one character says to another, “And if [your life] means so little to you that

you can just give it away…then why should it mean any more to him? He can’t value you more

than you value yourself” (Morrison 331). As the character cautions his friend, he is also making

a broader statement about the impact of self-worth on relationships.

Long Quotes:

More than four typed lines

Introduced by a colon

Printed in a block, tabbed in ½ inch from the left margin

No quotation marks used (the block is doing the same work as the quotation marks)

End punctuation comes before the citation, the only time it does

Introduced, cited, and explained.

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Example of a long quote: The first instance of Blanca’s complicated relationship with religion is

shown when Isabel Allende writes:

Kneeling in her pew, Blanca would inhale the intense smell of the virgin’s incense and

lilies, suffering the combined torment of nausea, guilt, and boredom. It was the only thing

she disliked about school. She loved the high-vaulted stone corridors, the immaculate

cleanliness of the marble floors, the naked white walls, and the iron Christ who stood

watch in the vestibule. (142)

Allende mixes positive words like “immaculate,” “cleanliness,” and “white” with “nausea,”

“guilt,” “boredom,” “naked,” and “iron” to show both positive and negative aspects of Blanca’s

Catholic school.

Quoting Poetry

Poetry is cited by line number, not page number.

When referencing a line or part of a line, follow guidelines for short quotes, citing by line number.

Example: In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” the repetition of “nevermore” (1) contributes to the

poem’s iconic tone of melancholy.

For two or three lines of poetry, be sure to maintain the punctuation and line breaks (end of a

line) of the original. Line breaks are marked with a /.

Example: In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost’s final lines “But I have

promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep, / And miles to go before I sleep.” (14-16)

challenge the reader’s expectations. The repetition disturbs the reader, promoting further

contemplation.

For four or more lines, the lines should be set up like a long quote: tabbed in, punctuation comes

before the citation, etc.

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Example: In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “Alone,” the speaker of the poem’s fixation on the single

cloud in an otherwise clear sky hints at his state of mind:

From the thunder, and the storm—

And the cloud that took the form

(When the rest of Heaven was blue)

Of a demon in my view—. (19-22)

This focus on the negative aspects—thunder, storm, and cloud—surrounded by positivity (“the

rest of” the sky was blue) may indicate the speaker’s depressed or negative mental state.

Quoting Drama

When referencing dialogue in drama, the names of speakers should appear in ALL CAPS. Lines

that wrap on the page are half-tabbed in (approximately five spaces). The text is otherwise set in

a block like a long quote.

Example: One of the most famous misquoted lines in cinema history is from Star Wars: Episode V -

The Empire Strikes Back:

VADER: Obi-wan never told you what happened to your father.

LUKE: He told me enough! He told me you killed him.

VADER: No. I am your father.

Notice that Darth Vader does not say, “Luke, I am your father,” as many people seem to believe.

Summarizing

Summarizing involves taking information from a long passage and condensing it, then putting it

into your own words (similar to a book report). The author’s name and page number or range are

necessary.

Original text: These excerpts explain the very important role of emotions in sanctioning or

promoting violence. First of all, the inability to experience empathy and thus the complete lack

of self-restraint in the use of violence relies on one particular emotion: fear, or more precisely,

the fear of death. For much of human history, the fear of death has pushed people to extreme

behavior (Lacassagne 324).

Summary example: Throughout history, the fear of mortality has often been the driving force

behind individuals resorting to violence (Lacassagne 324).

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Extreme summary example: In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, two teens fall in love,

and six people die (1-96).

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing involves presenting in your own words an interpretation of the author’s idea

(usually a small section of text). The author’s last name and relevant page number(s) must be

provided for most sources. In order for a paraphrase to be successful, it is important to use

not only different wording but also different sentence structure. Check the paraphrase against

the original for wording, structure, and accuracy.

Example:

Original text: “Violence is depicted in multifaceted ways in the series in accordance with the

varied perspectives of the characters” (Lacassagne 320).

Incorrect paraphrase:

Brutality shown many novels

“Violence is depicted in multifaceted ways in the series in accordance

viewpoints

with the varied perspectives of the characters” (Lacassagne 320).

The incorrect paraphrase above would read: Brutality is shown in many ways in the novels in

accordance with the varied viewpoints of the characters (Lacassagne 320).

Example of a correct paraphrase: Throughout the series, it is the characters’ differing

viewpoints that depict violence in a variety of ways (Lacassagne 320).

In-text Citation Special Cases

Authors with the same last name: for in-text citations, add the first initial of each author’s

name (N. Smith 76).

Two authors: Smith and Jones state… (76).

Three or more authors: Use the first author’s last name followed by et al. (Smith et al. 76).

More than one work by the same author: Use the author’s last name and the first important

word from the title (Smith, “Strategizing” 76) and (Smith, “Failing” 92).

No author: Cite by the first important word in the title (“Youth” 47).

Two or more works in the same citation: Separate multiple citations with semicolons (Smith

76; Jones 100).

Citing the same source multiple times in one citation: Separate multiple citations within the

same text with commas (Smith 76, 80, 100-102).

Indirect source: When using information that is cited in the text (the author is quoting,

summarizing, or paraphrasing someone else), it is preferable to find and cite the original

material. If that is not possible, use qtd. in ____ in your citation.

Example: According to Elias, literature allows scholars to study “the structures of the human psyche,

the structures of human society, and the structures of human history” (qtd. in Lacassagne 321).

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Works Cited Page The works cited page (or work cited page, if only one source is referenced) is a complete list of

every source referenced in a paper. It provides the information needed for a reader to locate the

sources used. Each source on the works cited page should appear in the paper, and each source in

the paper should appear on the works cited page.

Format:

The words “Works Cited” appear centered at the top of the page—no bold, underline, large

font, or any other emphasis

Header continues to appear

Double-spaced throughout

Sources are arranged alphabetically according to the first word in each entry

Hanging indent—the first line is left-aligned, and any subsequent lines are tabbed in.

o Hit “Enter” at the end of the first line and “Tab” at the beginning of the next line

Italicize titles of long works (books, journals, plays, movies, CDs, paintings, etc.).

Use “quotation marks” with the titles of short works (articles, essays, poems, short stories, , etc.).

Example:

Doe 8

Works Cited

Allende, Isabel. The House of the Spirits. Translated by Magda Bogin, Bantam Books, 1988.

Lacassagne, Auré. “War and Peace in the Harry Potter Series.” European Journal of Cultural

Studies, vol. 19, no. 4, 2016, pp. 318-334. Academic Search Premier. ecs.sagepub.com/

content/19/4/318.full.pdf+html. 21 Sept. 2016.

MLA Handbook. Eighth ed. Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. Everyman’s Library, 1995.

Poe, Edgar Allen. “Alone.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-

poets/poems/detail/46477. 21 Sept. 2016.

---. “The Raven.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/

poems/detail/48860. 21 Sept. 2016.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic Inc., 1999.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Millennium Publications, 2014.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. Directed by Irvin Kershner, Lucasfilm, 1980.

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How to Create Works Cited Entries Fill in the information based on the chart provided (a blank version of this chart is available on

the last page for copying and reuse).

For more complex citations, it may be necessary to repeat 3-9. Irrelevant elements are omitted.

When the source is part of a larger whole, the larger whole can be

thought of as a container that holds the source.

For online sources, copy the website address or URL exactly.

Punctuation is streamlined. No angle brackets, colons, dashes, etc.

Periods after: author, title, abbreviations (pp., vol., no., etc.), each 3-9 block.

Commas after all other entries.

Optional Elements

Date of original publication

City of publication

Other facts about the source

Date of access (not necessary for print materials but essential for online

sources.)

Note: Sources should be cited based on the information most relevant to the paper. For example,

when citing a movie that is referenced for the acting, cite it by the actor’s name. If the paper is

focused on the directing, cite it by the director’s name.

For special cases, see page 10.

Explanation of citation elements:

Author. Last name, first name

Title of source. Long works in italics, short works in quotation marks

Title of container, Source of the text (journal, anthology, website (YouTube), etc.)

Other contributors, Editors, translators, interviewer, etc.

Version, Edition

Number, For volume, use vol. # For issue number, use no. #

Publisher, Name of publisher. If unknown, use N.p.

Publication date, Year. If date is unknown, use n.d.

Location. Page number(s). For one page, use p. For a page range, use pp.

Paragraph numbers when listed.

Title of container, Database (JSTOR), website (Netflix)

Other contributors, General editor

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location. URL, website copied exactly (no angle brackets)

Optional Elements. Date of access

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Example of a citation for a book:

Author. Rowling, J. K.

Title of source. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher, Scholastic Inc.,

Publication date, 1999,

Location.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Scholastic Inc., 1999.

Note: While a comma is placed after the publication date when filling out the chart, it becomes a

period in the citation because it is the last entry in a 3-9 block.

Example of a citation for an article from a library database:

Author. Lacassagne, Auré.

Title of source. “War and Peace in the Harry Potter Series.”

Title of container, European Journal of Cultural Studies,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number, vol. 19, no. 4,

Publisher,

Publication date, 2016,

Location. pp. 318-334.

Title of container, Academic Search Premier,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location. ecs.sagepub.com/content/19/4/318.full.pdf+html.

Optional Elements. Date of Access: 21 Sept. 2016.

Lacassagne, Auré. “War and Peace in the Harry Potter Series.” European Journal of Cultural

Studies, vol. 19, no. 4, 2016, pp. 318-334. Academic Search Premier. ecs.sagepub.com/

content/19/4/318.full.pdf+html. 21 Sept. 2016.

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Special Cases for Works Cited

Two authors: The second author’s name is first name, last name: Smith, James and Sam Jones.

Authors with the same last name: These should be listed alphabetically by last name, then by

first name.

Three or more authors: Use the first author’s last name followed by et al. (Smith, James et al.).

More than one work by the same author: These should be listed alphabetically by the first

important word in the title. Works beyond the first start with --- (see Poe example in the example

works cited above).

No author: List these alphabetically by the first important word in the title (“Youth Violence in

Chicago”).

NOTE: This packet and the accompanying PowerPoint presentation, along with many other

resources, are available on The College of Saint Rose Writing Center’s website at

www.strose.edu/academics/center-for-student-success/academic-success-center/writing-center/

The College of Saint Rose Writing Center is located in the Academic Success Center,

on the second floor of Saint Joseph Hall. Stop by or call 518-454-5299 to make an appointment.

Additional resources for student writers:

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed.

Prentice Hall Reference Guide, 7th edition.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

The Modern Language Association’s website: http://www.mla.org/style_faq

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Author.

Title of source.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location.

Optional Elements.

Author.

Title of source.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location.

Title of container,

Other contributors,

Version,

Number,

Publisher,

Publication date,

Location.

Optional Elements.